Dental Hygienist Has Questions About Living in Hawaii

Here is a short email from a reader of my “Moving to Hawaii” ebook. If you are also a reader of this book, or a reader of this blog, you can feel free to send me email anytime and ask anything at all about living in, moving to the Hawaiian islands. I will be the first to admit – I don’t know everything, but I’ll give it my best shot and hopefully point you to somewhere that might of more help if I can’t do anything to answer your question.

Email I receieved…

Thanks for your book. I recently graduated and am a newly licensed Dental Hygienist (male). I am seriously considering moving to Oahu (from Wisconsin). Do you have any insights in the potential for finding work as a hygienist? Also, could you give me some ideas on how to find a place to live while I search for a job (and potentially a better place to live)? I don’t need much, but would like a small place in a safe area that doesn’t cost a lot. Thank you so much for your time!

My response…

Thanks for writing – I don’t mind at all getting questions about helping you move to the islands. Give me as much information as you can and I’ll do my best.

I have said in both my books about Hawaii that the healthcare field is a great one to be in if you are planning on moving to Hawaii and living long-term. There are more good quality jobs in the healthcare field than probably any other field in Hawaii. There are both civilian and military hospitals and clinics where you might work. There are a million or so people resident on the island of Oahu alone, so there are plenty of dentists and doctors there treating them.

I would say that on Oahu – you would have no problem with a job as a hygienist. I think it would get pretty difficult if you were intending on going to Maui, or Big Island and almost impossible on Kauai or one of the others. Oahu would give you the best shot – so I think you’re fine there.

Where to live on Oahu as you look for a job… that’s fairly easy I think. I used Craigslist last time. I found a nice little condo in Waikiki to live in for 750 per month, plus deposit and last months rent – so $2250 to move in and I was good for 3 months as a minimum. I ended up staying there for just over a year. Check apartments for rent and rooms to share – if you think you could share a room with someone else without losing your mind. Keep in mind that probably a majority of people – young and old in Hawaii – are pot smokers. Many have pets. Many have annoying habits. LOL. I guess I could just never live with another person I didn’t know beforehand, so I am hinting that you should try for your own digs if at all possible.

The three biggest areas for dental jobs would probably be: Waikiki, Honolulu near town… and then up to Pearl City. Kaneohe and Kailua on the windward side of Oahu would also be something to try if you can’t seem to get what you want. You’d probably want to start with Pearl City if you wanted to find a job more quickly – as most people would rather live in or near Waikiki, I’d guess. These are purely guesses – that’s all I can give you.

Now, I am not sure – but, I think that because dental hygienists are needed at every dental office in the country – many of them also realize they could be living in Hawaii. I knew a hygienist in Miami, Florida in my apartment complex at the time that told me that she and two other friends – also in the same field, were moving to Hawaii. That was years ago and they’re probably all dead from smoking so much pot – but, thing is – moving there is not a novel idea, so you might find the competition tough.

Maybe start with Pearl City and live there for three months and see if you can land a job. Actually, you know what would be smart? You’d need transportation of some sort, or I guess you could rely on The Bus if you had to… You could live in Waikiki, and try to get a job there and in Pearl City at the same time. My reasoning is this… if you land one in Waikiki – or around town somewhere, you’re already living there. No problem. If you get a job in Pearl City and live in Waikiki or close by, it is about 9 times easier to commute going from Waikiki toward Pearl City, than going the other way to work in the morning. There is little traffic going out of Honolulu, compared to traffic coming toward town during morning rush hour.

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Iâ€™ve lived Hawaii since the mid â€˜80s when I moved here at the age of 21. I arrived site-unseen in Honolulu with zero contacts and about $5k in savings. I worked from nearly zero and today Hawaii has given me the greatest gifts in the world in all aspects: spiritually, financially, romantically (married since early â€˜90s w/ 2 children), and most important, peace. My goal with this site is to share the magic of this Land of Aloha and help others who are on a similar quest.